Basic IELTS Spoeoking Zhang Juan - Alison Wong © Consolidating Your English Ability © Improving Your English Speaking Skill © Providing General Knowledge © Developing Your Test-Taking Skill a ‘NTV NHA XUAT BAN TONG HOP Cong ty TNHH ‘THANH PHO HO CHI MINH Nhan Tri ViétBasic IELTS Speaking « Zhang Juan + Alison Wong NTV NHA XUAT BAN TONG HOP Cong ty TNHH THANH PHO HO CHi MINH Nhan Tri ViétBasic IELTS Speaking Copyright © 2010-2013 Beijing Language and Culture University Press Published in Vietnam, 2013 This edition is published in Vietnam under a license Agreement between Beijing Language and Culture University Press and Nhan Tri Viet Co., Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.FOREWORD Exam preparation is a vital period for candidates who wish to obtain an internationally recog- nised certificate, specifically the IELTS one. Such candidates will find it less stressful if they can have relevant and beneficial materials in hand. Basic IELTS - Listening, Reading, Speaking, and Writing have, consequently, been designed to meet your demand. IELTS series aim at + providing IELTS candidates with a basic English language ability, + enlarging candidates’ stock of vocabulary, and « giving candidates insight into the social life and culture of the English-speaking communities. Basic IELTS series are suitable for those who want to achieve a band score of 4 — 5+ in the IELTS test. They are also practical materials for high school students, students of pre-inter- mediate level, and for those who want to build up a solid foundation in their English language competence. The main features of this series of books are as follows: Designed in accordance with the content, format and objectives of the IELTS test ¥ Reflecting the updated IELTS question types v Meeting the demand and expectations of the focused candidates ¥ Containing authentic, interesting, and rewarding materials ‘As far as Basie IELTS Speaking is concerned, it is arranged into three parts with a total of five chapters whose themes centre upon different kinds of questions in each part of the IELTS Speaking test. Especially, varied and well-designed tasks which are typical in the IELTS Speak- ing test are provided so as to facilitate actual tests in the most effective way. Moreover, lists of Useful Words and Expressions provided with their phonetic symbols added below Dialogue Study aim at helping you not only to improve your pronunciation but to give you a chance to check their meanings as well. It is said that the more time you spend on looking up new words, the better you can understand and use them. In addition, Useful Sentence Structures enable you to accurately express yourself in English. Last but not least, a table of key to the exercises is presented so that you can use them to check your work and see your progress day by day. Basic IELTS Speaking certainly meets the need of candidates who will sit the Academic Module, but General Training Module candidates can also find it very beneficial. On completion of Basic IELTS Speaking, you will be able to + do typical tasks in the IELTS Speaking test, + apply useful tips and techniques in answering questions of the IELTS test, + be well prepared for gaining a higher score in your actual exam, and « achieve your desired band score in the near future. Hopefully, you will find Basic IELTS Speaking truly helpful and rewarding, and you can eventu- ally achieve your desired goal. Zhang Juan — Alison Wong www.nhantriviet.com 7IELTS OVERVIEW I, The IELTS Test IELTS, the International English Language Testing System, was introduced in 1989. It is an English language proficiency test that is required to be taken by non-native students for studying in countries where the medium of instruction is English. It is now used for this purpose around the globe. The IELTS is managed by three main institutions: the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL). This is important to understand in order to prepare for what is essentially an examination of British and not American English. Depending on the course of study that is planned to take, candidates must select to sit either the Academic IELTS test or the General Training IELTS test. This choice must be made when apply- ing to sit the test. Academic Module The Academic IELTS test is necessary for candidates who plan to study at universities (under- graduate or postgraduate courses), and will test the candidates’ ability both to understand and to use complex academic language. General Training Module ‘The General Training Module of IELTS is for students seeking entry to a secondary school or to vocational training courses, and also for those who wish to apply for immigration to countries such as Canada, Australia, or New Zealand. IELTS is not recommended for candidates under the age of 16. IL. The IELTS Test Format There are four sub-tests to the IELTS test: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. Can- didates must sit all four sub-tests. While all candidates take the same Listening and Speaking tests, they sit different Reading and Writing tests, depending on whether they have selected the Academic IELTS test or the General Training IELTS test. These two do not carry the same weight and are not interchangeable. The first three sub-tests ~ Listening, Reading, and Writing - must be completed in one day. There is no break between the sub-tests. The Speaking test may be taken, at the discretion of the test centre, in the period of seven days before or after the other sub-tests of the IELTS test. 4 www.nhantriviet.comThis table helps you to understand more clearly about the format and timing of the two IELTS modules: F 4 sections; 40 questions 4 sections; 40 questions eran . 30 minutes 30 minutes 3 sections; 40 questions 3 sections; 40 questions LST ET SS 3 long texts 3 long texts Thour T hour 2 tasks 2 tasks 1 hour 1 hour Writing 3 sections 3 sections Sieur ; 11 - 14 minutes 11 - 14 minutes What can you bring into the test room? Only pens, pencils and erasers. You must bring the passport/national identity card you used on the IELTS Application Form to the test. You must leave everything else outside the examination room, including mobile phones and pagers which must be switched off and placed with personal belongings in the area designated by the supervisor. If you do not switch off your phone/ pager or keep it on you, you will be disqualified. Will there be more than one examiner? No, the Speaking test will take the form of a conversation between the candidate and one certi- fied IELTS examiner. Will the Speaking test be recorded? Yes, it is recorded onto an audiocassette or a digital recorder. What do you need for the Speaking test? You must bring the same identification documents you supplied on your IELTS Application Form and used for the rest of the test. Your ID will be checked before you enter the test room. www.nhantriviet.com 5Contents IELTS Overview Chapler 1 The IELTS Speaking Test 7 Unit | An Overview of the IELTS Speaking Test 8 Unit2 How to Prepare for the IELTS Speaking ‘Test. 12 Chapter2 Part 1 of the IELTS Speaking Test...17 Unit | How to prepare for Part 1 of the IELTS Speaking Test 18 Unit? Conversation Practice for Part | of the IELTS Speaking Test 24 Talking about Home Towns and Jobs 4 Talking about Studies and Schools 38 ‘Talking about Holidays/Festivals and Travels . 50 ‘Talking about Interests/ Hobbies and Friends 64 Talking about Transportation and My Home ..76 Chapter Part 2 of the IELTS Speaking Test 9 Unit 1 How to Prepare for Part 2 of the IELTS Speaking Test 90 Unit2 Presentation Practice for Part 2 of the IELTS Speaking Test. 92 Describing People 92 Describing Items and Past Events 97 Describing Places and Changes 104 Deseribing Programmes and Books 1 Describing Stories and Ideas 118 Describing Shopping Experiences and Movies. 125 Unit3 Topic Card Practice for Part 2 of the IELTS Speaking Test aa | Chapter 4 Part 3 of the IELTS Speaking Test Unit | How to Prepare for Part 3 of the IELTS Speaking Test Unit2 Discussion Practice for Part 3 of the IELTS Speaking Test. Description Agreement/ Disagreement Comparison and Contrast Evaluation Speculation Unit3 Topic Practice for Part 3 of the IELTS Speaking Test. Chapter 5 IELTS Sample Speaking Tests IELTS Sample Speaking Test 1 IELTS Sample Speaking Test 2 Answer Key 441 142 146 146 180 184 159 164 168 173 174 7 181 www.nhantrivietcomOeyoiroas The IELTS Speaking TestBasic IELTS Speaking Unit! An Overview of the IELTS Speaking Test 1. The IELTS Speaking Format The IELTS Speaking Test is the same for both the Academic and General Training modules. Itis different from the other parts of the IELTS test because it is a one-to-one interaction between a candidate and an examiner. The three parts in the test give the candidate the opportunity to use a range of different speaking skills. The Speaking testis recorded. The following table is the format of the IELTS Speaking test: By | Bee acerca) oa The examiner introduces himself/herself and confirms candi- pvt) ec) | date’s identity by asking questions about the candidate. Next, the eae examiner asks the candidate about familiar topie frames. ‘The examiner asks the candidate to speak for 1-2 minutes on a fone) particular topic. Information is given on a card and the candi- Hithsttr Phiten) date has 1 minute to prepare before he/she starts. The examiner asks one or two questions after the candidate's presentation. ad ‘The examiner invites the candidate to participate in a discussion (era's 1) of'a more abstract topic related to the topic on the card in Part 2. 3-4 minutes 4-5 minutes The IELTS Speaking test has been designed to test your ability to engage in a conversation, and to test how well you can communicate your thoughts and opinions. The IELTS Speaking test is the shortest of the components of the IELTS test ~ only 11 to 14 minutes. In this short time, you have to convince the examiner who will be speaking with you of your level of English. As you have seen in the table above, the Speaking test is divided into 3 parts: Part 1: The first part involves general introduction. Here, the examiner checks that he/ she has the right person by checking the candidate’s name, origin and identification. This part is also designed to help the candidate relax and takes only a few seconds. Then, the examiner asks the candidate about familiar topics in life such as his/her country, home town, family, studies/jobs, free-time activities, future plans, etc. This part takes about 4 or 5 minutes. Part 2: Part 2 is the long turn or individual talk. It provides an opportunity for the can- didate to deliver a long, uninterrupted response. The examiner will give the candidate a cue card with a subject such as education, family, work, interests and lifestyle and some cues or a few guiding questions on the card. These questions are short, and the structure of the questions is simple. The candidate must talk for 1 to 2 minutes on this subject. He/She is expected to demonstrate an ability to construct a long sample of English. The examiner will assess the candidate’s fuency, coherence, range of structures, pronunci~ ation and vocabulary. 8 www.nhantriviet.comAn Overview of the IELTS Speaking Test ‘The candidate has an optional 1 minute in order to prepare for his/her talk, and is provided with some paper and a pencil in order to make some brief notes. After the candidate's talk, the examiner will ask 1 or 2 brief questions in order to finish off this part which takes about 3 - 4 minutes. Part 3: Part 3 is the most complex part of the IELTS Speaking test. Here, the examiner will prompt and lead the candidate with a series of questions on the topic spoken about in Part 2. For example, in Part 2 you may have to describe a favourite teacher, and in Part 3, you may have to discuss education in your country, These questions will be more demanding and require some critical analysis on the part of the candidate. The examiner is still in control, but must allow the candidate to produce longer utterances or discuss the questions. The candidate will be scored on how effectively he/she can develop the abstract ideas on the IELTS test. These questions and discussions may take 4 or 5 minutes. Note that in Part 1 of the Speaking test, questions cannot be changed or reworded. In Part 3, there is more flexibility. If the candidate does not understand a word in the question, or the question itself, it is possible to ask for repetition or clarification. Overall, try to stick to the topic on this specific part of the IELTS test. This is the section where the examiner will really want to get an understanding of your knowledge. Be sure to use proper grammar and accents when appropriate 2. Examiners and the Test Room @® The examiner ‘The examiner interviewing you during the IELTS test is trained to assess your spoken Eng- lish against IELTS criteria. Examiners can come from any country where English is spoken as a native language. They are all professional teachers with advanced degrees. They have received specific IELTS training to make sure they judge you fairly and honestly. @® The test date ‘The IELTS Speaking test might not even be held on the same day as the other parts of the test. This is because there will usually be a large number of candidates sitting the test, and there is not enough time for everyone to have their individual speaking test on the same day. Whether or not your IELTS Speaking test will be held on the same day will depend on when and where you are sitting your IELTS test. You can find out more information about the dates when you book your test with the IELTS test centre. You will be informed of the time and place of your Speaking test by the test centre at least 72 hours prior to the test date. @ The test room ‘You are not allowed to take anything into the test room — everything you need will be pro- vided — except that you must remember to take your identification. It has to be the same means of identification that you registered with. Unfortunately, some candidates have been refused wwwahantrivietcom 9Basic IELTS Speaking admission to the test room because they registered with their national ID card, but did not have it with them on the test day! ‘The IELTS Speaking test is in fact an interview in which each candidate is interviewed individually. In the test room, on the examiner's desk are test materials, score-recorded sheets of paper, pens, an audiocassette or a digital recorder and tapes or CDs. The IELTS Speaking interview will be recorded. Recording the interview has a number of benefits. This is done so that, if necessary, the Speaking test can be remarked, If the bands for a candidate’s Writing and Speaking tests, for instance, are very different, then the candidate’s test is re-checked. If the oral interview was not recorded, then this could not be done. This does not happen very often. Sample recordings are also sent to the IELTS administration to be monitored to make sure that examiners are doing a good job and assigning the correct bands. So, try to forget that the recorder is there and get on with answering the questions. 3. Marking Criteria ‘When marking the speaking category, examiners use detailed performance descriptors which describe spoken performance at each of the 9 IELTS bands, Examiners award a band score for cach of the following four criterion areas: 1, Fluency and Coherence 2. Lexical Resource 3. Grammatical Range and Accuracy 4, Pronunciation Fluency refers to speaking continuously without stopping, and Coherence means organis- ing speech in a logical way. Lexical Resource refers to using words which are varied and appro- priate for the subject, Grammatical Range and Accuracy refers to the use of correct grammar and variation of grammatical usage. Pronunciation refers to speaking in a manner which is easily understood. These four criteria are weighed equally. The examiner gives you a whole-number sub-score for each of these, and then calculates the average of the four. 4, Band Score The IELTS Speaking test is marked on a scale of 1 - 9. Most universities require a score of 6.0 - 65 for entrance; however, this varies according to country and university. You do not need to be an absolutely fluent speaker of English to get a reasonable IELTS speaking score. The examiner will be looking for your ability to use a range of vocabulary and grammar in a way that is clear and understandable. Both whole and half band scores, such as 6.5, are given for the Speaking test. If the average score is nota whole number or a half number, it is rounded to the nearest whole number or half number. 10 www.nhantriviet.comAn Overview of the {TS Speaking Tes A band score for each of the four criterion areas is as follows: Band 9 — Expert user Has fully operational command of the language: appropriate, accurate and fluent with complete understanding. Band 8 — Very good user Has fully operational command of the language with only occasional unsystematic inaccuracies and inappropriateness, Misunderstandings may occur in unfamiliar situations. Handles complex de- tailed argumentation well. Band 7 — Good user Has operational command of the language, though with occasional inaccuracies, inappro- priateness and misunderstandings in some situations, Generally handles complex language well and understands detailed reasoning. Band 6 — Competent user Has generally effective command of the language despite some occasional inaccuracies, inappro- priateness and misunderstandings, Can use and understand fairly complex language, particularly in familiar situations. Band 5 — Modest user Has partial command of the language, coping with overall meaning in most situations, though is likely to make many mistakes. Should be able to handle basic communication in own field. Band 4 — Limited user Basic competence is limited to familiar situations. Has frequent problems in understanding and expression. Is not able to use complex language. Band 3 — Extremely limited user Conveys and understands only general meaning in very familiar situations. Frequent breakdowns in communication occur. Band 2 — Intermittent user No real communication is possible except for the most basic information using isolated words or short formulae in familiar situations and to meet immediate needs. Has great difficulty in under- standing spoken and written English. Band 1 — Non user Essentially has no ability to use the language beyond possibly a few isolated words. Band 0 — Did not attempt the test www.nhantriviet.com iBasic IELTS Speaking Unit2 How to Prepare for the IELTS Speaking Test 1, Enhance Your English Communication Skills Expose yourself to everyday topics as often discussed in newspapers or on radio and TV programmes. Make it your habit to read newspaper and magazine articles, particularly those that discuss issues and contain arguments and opinions. Also, listen to radio discussions and watch TV interview programmes on current affairs. Not only does this give you some excellent listening practice, but it will build your background knowledge for the issues that may come up in both the Speaking and the Writing tests. Choose an issue and record all the vocabulary you will need to discuss that issue ~ note words raised in the news articles or programmes on TV, radio, newspapers. Try to do one of these every day. When you consider an issue, decide what would be your position on the issue, especially the steps you will need to take to reach your desired position, and how you would overcome any possible problems in discussing it. Be prepared to use descriptive and comparative language. Practise using conditional sen- tences to discuss, for instance, hypothetical issues from a broad or world view: “If the world economy becomes more global, all nations will lose their cultural independence.” ot “If the leaders of the world were to spend more money on the poor, many of the problems of global conflict would be resolved.” Be ready to use a good range of tenses and a variety of grammatical structures, for instance, to speculate on what may be possible in the future: Examiner: What future role do you see for music in society? Candidate: Well, ’d (or I’ve) always hoped that all the peoples of the world could benefit by sharing their common experience of music. In the past, there have been many examples of musicians joining forces to raise awareness of global issues that result from famine or human rights abuses. Or: If different cultures could see the common features of music in other countries, they may be less fearful of each other and understand one another’s cultures better. 2. Prepare yourself ® Look your best Although people are not supposed to ‘judge the book by its cover’, some people uncon- sciously tend to do that. If you do not look credible enough, they may not even start listening to what you have to say. You do not need to wear gowns or tuxedos, but simply wear clothes fit for the occasion. Your clothes should be neat and free of wrinkles, not too loud that people would rather stare at it than you. You should be pleasant-looking, not only paying attention to your clothes but your faces and gestures as well. 12 www.nhantriviet.comHow to Prepare for the IELTS Speaking Test @ Be humble You should admit your mistakes during your talk, and apologise for those mistakes. There are times you may forget a certain term. Instead of pausing for a long time or using a word you are not sure of, it is better to ask your examiner. The examiner would appreciate your humility, and even relate to you more because they know you are just like them - a human capable of making mistakes and forgetting things. @ Be self-confident It is understandable that you will be under considerable tension created by the examination situation, Almost everyone is nervous when they speak in public or in testing situations. High levels of anxiety can, in fact, affect a candidate’s performance. However, much of this anxiety can be overcome by good preparation, familiarity with test details and a positive attitude. You should believe in what you are saying, If you do not sound convinced by what you say, you cannot expect anyone to believe it. It is important that you are relaxed when taking this test. Nevertheless, take a deep breath, and try to look self-assured. The examiner is trying to assess your language communication capabilities. He/She will not be able to assess you unless you speak up. 3. Commonly-Seen Problems in the IELTS Speaking Test @ Giving short answers Ifyou just give answers with only “Yes” or “No”, which are too short, you cannot convince the examiner of your ability of English. Here, you should demonstrate your skills in providing extended answers rather than just an outright YES/NO, or other similar one-word answers. For example: E: What do you find most difficult in your studies? C: English. E: Have you done much travelling in your life? : Yes, I travelled a lot. Answer in complete sentences! Develop your answers as much as possible. Speak more than the examiner. For example: E: What do you find most difficult in your studies? C: I would say, English. It is very hard for me to memorise new words and I am too shy to speak out in class. It has always been difficult for me to communicate in English while my classmates are doing a lot better. Keep talking until the examiner interrupts you or goes to the next question. If you need time to think, say something like “That's an interesting question.” or just repeat the question in a form like “You'd like me to tell you about (topic).”. www.nhantriviet.com 13Basic IELTS Speaking ® Using broad generalisations Some candidates give too many broad generalisations when giving answers. In addition, some others frequently use the expression such as when listing, which both takes time and expresses nonsense. Avoid trying to create an impression on the examiner with big words that you may use incorrectly. Instead, use simple words to discuss complex ideas; try to present your viewpoint and then explain it; or you can give some specific examples, arguments, or causes and effects, In brief, you should make use of the time to show your oral ability of English. Speak with simplicity and sincerity! This is an example of a broad generalisation: E: Are you busy with your work? C: Yes, Iam very busy. Every day I have to work in the office for about 13 hours, Sometimes, I even have to work during public holidays such as the Spring Festival, National Day, May Day, and so on. To answer this question satisfactorily, you ought to give specific examples and explain how busy you are, for example: Are you busy with your work? Yes, I am quite busy with my work. Every day I have to complete a few tasks like checking, the daily work of our department, writing reports and planning for the market. No one knows how much time all these tasks take and what else will come up. Most of the time, I have to work around 13 hours a day. Use examples from your own life. These you can speak about more easily than stories you have made up or read somewhere else. Try to relax and enjoy the experience of telling the interviewer as much interesting information about yourself as you can. ® Mentioning complex subjects When giving answers, you should not try in vain to express ideas or concepts that you do not really understand. For example, as far as your hobbies are concerned, you may avoid talking about belly dance ~ a new form of exercise - even though it is what you actually do in your free time. The test is designed to give you an ample chance to answer a variety of questions. It does not matter if all the things that you say are not true. In brief, focus on what you know rather than on what you do not know while you are doing the test. @ Getting stuck on vocabulary If you get stuck on vocabulary, try to describe what you mean. Do not sit there knitting your brow and allowing the tension to rise. “Oh, the word I’m looking for has slipped my mind.” is a good phrase to introduce a description if you cannot remember it. If you get utterly lost, say something, like, “I’m aftaid I’ve talked myself into a corner. Let me start over.”, or better “T don't think I should continue with this, Let me say it in a different way.”, and start answering the question in another way. Sometimes, you can use some fillers like Well, Mm, Let me see, Give me one moment, etc. You can also use a phrase or a sentence to express yourself if you cannot find out the right word at the 14 www.nhantriviet.comHow to Prepare for the IELTS Speaking Test right time. For instance, concerning the safety of eating vegetables, if possible, you can talk like this: C: We eat different vegetables every day. I don’t think that some vegetables are safe because of the insecticide on them. Insecticide means a chemical for killing insects, especially those that damage plants or crops. If you do not know this accurate term, you can express yourself as follows: C: We eat different vegetables every day. But sometimes they are not safe because of the chem- ical stuff farmers spray on them to kill the insects. © Giving rote answers Remember that this is not a test of knowledge, and there is no single answer. Do not memorise set responses! If you do, it will sound false and come across as if you are making a speech! You need to sound natural all through the test. Therefore, do not learn chunks of answers. The examiner is trained to spot this and will change the questions. Try to give your opinion by developing your answers as much as possible and speak more than the examiner. © Using incorrect tenses or personal pronouns Incorrect tenses or confusing personal pronouns are often used by candidates in the Speak- ing test. You might be asked to describe past situations; you, therefore, have to make sure you are using the right past forms of verbs. Look at this example: E: Can you tell me something about your mother? C: My mother is very kind to me. When I was a child, she take good care... sorry... took good care of me. At that time, he worked... she worked in a hospital. These mistakes can be overcome by practising at home, recording your answers onto a recorder and listen again to self-correct them. It is important to speak English as much and as often as you can while preparing for the IELTS test. ® Paying too much attention to grammar and pronunciation Many non-native speakers about to attend an IELTS interview are understandably worried about making mistakes in their grammar and pronunciation; they, thus, cannot communicate effectively. The examiner will expect some mistakes — after all, English is a foreign language for you, and people make mistakes in speaking foreign languages. Therefore, do not worry about occasional mistakes. Get on with the talking and concentrate on your communication. Showing off knowledge As with the Writing test, do not show off. Some candidates consider the interview as a way of showing the examiner what they know. Remember that this is not a test of knowledge. In the Speaking test, IELTS candidates are assessed on their performance in an interview; that is, you will be assessed on your ability to communicate effectively, and to take the initiative in a conversation. Hence, concentrate on what you are saying rather than trying to show off your www.nhantriviet.com 15Basic IELTS Speaking knowledge: focus on the common ideas and themes of what you are saying to the examiner. For example, for the following question on how to solve the problem of pollution, it neither is of a technical nature nor requires any specialist knowledge. You might, in this case, respond by organising your personal thoughts and points to give your opinion on what is asked: E: What can the government do to solve the problem of pollution? irst of all, I think that the law and regulations should be clearly stipulated and followed strictly. Next, it is better to demolish small factories along the rivers unless they guarantee that no waste will be dumped into the water without first being purified. Then, more envir- onmentally friendly products should be encouraged. For example, the government should find a way to encourage people to use fewer disposable plastic bags. People can be educated to be fully aware of the importance of protecting the environment. On the whole, I think that there is a lot the government can do. This is what I can think of right now. 16 www.nhantriviet.comOtley) Part 1 of the IELTS Speaking TestBasic IELTS Speaking Unit 1 How to Prepare for Part 1 of the IELTS Speaking Test 1. An Overview of Part 1 of the IELTS Speaking Test The IELTS Speaking test consists of three sections involving one candidate with one exam- iner and an audio recorder to “capture” your performance. Part 1 is known as Introduction and Interview. In this section, the examiner asks the candidate for an introduction. This first section of the IELTS Speaking exam lasts about 4 - 5 minutes and gives the examiner the chance to find outa little about you through some simple ‘getting-to-know-you’ questions. Firstly, the examiner will talk onto the audio recorder: “This is the Speaking module for the International English Language Testing System conducted on X (day/month/year) at X (name of the test centre). The candidate is X. Candidate number is X and the interviewer is X.” He/She then intro- duces himself/herself, and next, asks you basic questions about yourself and asks to see your identification, which will help the examiner find outa little about you and help put you at ease: — My name is John. Can you tell me your full name, please? = Thank you. What can I call you? — Where are you from? — May I see your identification, please? — Well, first ofall, I'd like to ask you some questions about yourself Next, the examiner will pose a series of questions about your life such as your home town, your studies, your likes and dislikes, your hobbies or family, etc. For example: — What subject do you study? — What are you going to do after your studies? — Have you travelled a lot in your life? — What kind of places would you like to visit? = How much time do you spend with friends? - What kind of friends do you prefer? — Is friendship very important in your life and why? 2. Preparing for Part 1 of the IELTS Speaking Test When entering the test room, you should greet the examiner. Below is a list of typical ex- pressions of greeting: Hi, Hello. Good morning. Good afternoon. Nice to meet you. Pleased to meet you. 18 www.nhantriviet.comHow to Prepare for Part } of the IELTS Speaking Test This is also your chance to get off to a good start! So, remember to display your best ability. What is being tested is your ability to + provide full and relevant answers to all questions. Avoid giving short, uncommunicative replies to closed questions. (These are questions beginning with ‘Have you ...’, ‘Do you ...’, ‘Isit..’, etc. which can be answered by a single word, a yes or no, or a couple-of-words answer.) «+ give longer responses to some open-ended questions (an open-ended question beginning with 2 Wh-word asks the candidate to give an extended answer); hence, you have the opportunity to show how good your English is, and give information by describing and explaining. 3. A Sample of Part 1 of the IELTS Speaking Test E: Examiner C: Candidate (The examiner has been well prepared, and the candidate has just come in.) Good morning. :: Good morning. [I’m John. Can you tell me your full name, please? ‘My name is Li Juan. ‘Thank you. How shall I call you? You can just call me Juan. May I see your identification, please? Here you are. Thank you. Now, first of all, I’d like to ask you some questions about yourself. OK. What part of the country are you from? Iam from Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province. It is located in southwest China, famous for many historical sites. E: What do you like most about Chengdu? Ci Well, there is so much I like about my home town, What I like the most, probably, is the food, I think. As you might know, food there is cheap and delicious. E: Let’s move on to talk about travelling. Do you travel a lot in your life? C: Well, not alot although I like travelling very much. Since I just graduated from university a couple of years ago, I do not make enough money to visit as many places as I wish, Normally I probably travel once every two years, usually in the summer. E: What kind of places would you like to visit? www.nhantriviet.com 19Basic 4. ACER Le Speaking C: Talways prefer nature more to historical places. The most exciting thing for me in travelling is to be close to nature, So, the places I like the most are usually mountains, beaches, forests, etc. E: OK. We will talk about friends now. How much time do you spend with friends? : I love friends. I don’t have much spare time, but I normally meet once or twice a week with friends for meals or sometimes at weekends for small trips. I feel so relaxed with my friends. E: What kind of friends do you prefer? C: Tlike friends who share the same interests with me and who can listen and discuss with me about the problems I have with my work. We can spend time together having fun, and dur- ing difficult times, we can also turn to each other for help. E: Is friendship very important to you and why? C: Yes, friends are quite important in my life, As the saying goes, “A friend in need is a friend indeed.”. True friends are realy treasures, You will know how important friends are, especially when you have difficult moments in life, The comfort brought by friends is very essential. At the same time, you will also realise how important friends are during times of joy and success. Frequently-Asked Questions for Part 1 of the IELTS Speaking Test €& o1.ues Which patt of your country do most people live in? Can you tell me about the main industries in your country? Is it easy to travel around your country? Do you think your country has changed a lot since you were a child? Do you know something about the history of your home town? Are there any interesting places I can visit? ‘What do you like the most about living in your home town? Can you compare your home town with big modern cities like Beijing? ‘What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in your home town? Can you describe the city where you live now? Are there any things you dislike about the city? How would you improve the city where you live? (t- What do you do? Why did you choose this job? What is your routine work? Tell me about a typical working day. What do you like or dislike about your job? Do you like your job? If you don’t, what kind of job would you prefer? Do you have any plans to change your job in the future? 20 www.nhantriviet.com‘How to Prepare for Part | of the IELTS Speaking Test What subject do you study? Why did you choose this subject? What do you like most about your studies? ‘Are there any things you dislike about your studies? What do you find most difficult in your studies? What kind of qualifications or certificates do you hope to get? What do you hope to do after graduation? Where did you grow up? What is a good place for children to grow up? Where did you usually play? ‘Who is the most important person in your childhood? Is childhood now different from the time when you were a child? Do you enjoy watching films? How often do you watch films? What kind of films do you like to watch? Do people generally prefer watching films at home or in the cinema? Would you like to be in a film? frie ony What kind of public transport is available where you live? What kind of public transport do you use most often? What problems are there with public transport where you live? How would you improve public transport where you live? Do you prefer to use public or private transport? Tell me about some of the animals in your country. Which animals do you like? Tell me some of the ways animals are used in your country (e.g. agriculture). How do people in your country usually feel about animals? www.nhantrivietcom 21Basic IELTS Speaking ‘Who does the main food and household shopping in your family? ‘What kind of shépping do you usually do? What kinds of shops do you prefer? What time of day do you prefer to go shopping? What is the worst thing about shopping? Who usually does the housework, e.g. cooking and cleaning, where you live? How is the housework shared in your family? What do you think is the most important household task? Do you have any ideas about how housework has changed in recent years in your counti Do you enjoy housework and what kind of housework do you like? a Ee What kinds of food do you like? Is there any food you don’t like? Do you usually cook at home? Are there any special occasions when people in your country go to a restaurant? What are the advantages and disadvantages of eating in restaurants? When do you have free time? What do you like doing in your free time? ‘What activities are most popular in the place where you live? Do you think that free time is important in people’s lives? Would you like to spend your free time with friends or with family? (a Which middle school did you study in? Is it close to your home? How did you get to school every day? What did you like the best about that school? Is there anything you didn’t like about your school? If you were the president of the school, what changes would you like to make? What did you think of the teachers there? 22 . www.nhantriviet.comHow to Prepare for Part | of the IELTS Speaking Test Do you have any hobbies? How did you become interested in that? How much time do you spend on that? Do you prefer relaxing at home or going out in the evening? When you go out for the evening, what would you like to do? Is there any kind of entertainment you dislike? Why do you think that people have hobbies? L a Do you like travelling? How often do you travel and why? What kinds of places are you most interested in and why? What places have you enjoyed visiting and why? What do you normally do when you are in a new place? Which do you prefer: travelling by yourself or with friends, and why? What does travelling mean to you? What are the special days celebrated in your country? What do you think is the most important festival in your country? In what way do people celebrate the festival? Do people prepare any special food for the occasion? Which do people prefer, to spend it with family or with friends? How did people celebrate the festival in the past? How has the way been changed and why? Do you think that it is important to have festivals? What kind of people can be your friends? How do you make friends? How much time do you spend with friends? ‘What do you normally do with your friends? Do you prefer to spend more time with friends or with family? Would you rather have one close friend or many common friends? How important is friendship to you? When you have trouble, do you turn to friends or family? www.nhantriviet.com 23Basic IELTS Speaking Unit2 Conversation Practice for Part 1 of the IELTS Speaking Test 1. Talking about Home Towns © ca.mes Niner ea cerernta ian let rms cs Cra ong PBC m amon atnire ela a Cosme m otha Cla AT SMR Taco cat akcg Are there any interesting places I can Ne etn cence ected Can you compare your home town with big modern cities like Beijing? W: Wang Xiao; L: Li Chen (Wang Xiao and Li Chen meet each other at a university library.) W: Hil think you're a friend of my friend, Zhang Juan. Yes, I know Zhang Juan. How do you know her? ': Lwork with her. How about you? : [met her at the swimming pool. We both love swimming, I'm from the northeastern part of China, Changchun, the capital of Jilin Province, And you? Well, I was born in a small village outside of Hangzhou, but I also grew up in Hangzhou. It's a couple of hours away from Shanghai. L: W: L: W: Where do you come from? I mean, where is your home town? ie W: L: Yes, I’ve heard of it before, It’s quite famous. Definitely a place on my “to visit” list! What is the weather like there? W: It’s probably not as cold in the winter as Changchun is, and hotter in the summer time, We don’t get a lot of snow, but there is a rainy season. How’s the weather in Changchun? L: Well, cold, of course, in the winter. Many people think it’s cold in Changchun all year round, but it’s really not. The summers are really beautiful. Not too hot, about 32 or 33 degrees. W: Wow! I didn’t think it would get that warm there! Maybe I should go and see Changchun next summer! Are there any interesting places I can visit in Changchun? 24 www.nhantriviet.com‘Talking about Home Towns L: Yes, there are a couple of places I would highly suggest that you visit, but the best time to come is in the winter time! There’s skiing on the Changbai Mountains, skating along the Songhua River and a special ice lantern sculpture festival too! Did you also know that Jilin is known for its deer antlers — you know, for medicinal purposes. Anyway, I could go on and on about my home town! What about Hangzhou? What are the interesting places to visit? 1 bet there are a lot of tourists each year. 'W: Yes, Hangzhou is usually full of tourists. Everybody knows that the area around the West Lake is really beautiful, and there are a lot of famous sites there, too. You should see the ‘West Lake during the moonlight! It’s so beautiful! Especially during the Autumn Moon Festival! I really miss my home town. L: Me, too. There's really no place like home! What do you miss the most about your home town? W: You mean besides my mother’s cooking? Well, I suppose it would be walking along the West Lake during a misty morning or a beautiful sunset. What do you miss about Changchun? uC My family! I have a lot of aunts and uncles and cousins living in Changchun. I’m the only one who lives outside of Changchun. W: Wow! I can't even imagine being on my own like that! That must have been really hard at first. m Yes, it really was. When I first moved to Beijing, my cousins were really envious. They thought that Beijing was obviously better than Changchun, because it is the capital of China, In fact, I thought so too at first, but now I don't think that as much. W: What do you mean? ; I mean that there are definitely some similarities, like both are modern capital cities. But as the centre of education, culture and politics, Beijing is definitely more exciting. There are many opportunities to grow and learn, Living in Beijing, you can easily watch a variety of international standard performances and you will be better informed. W: But it sounds like you think Beijing is better than Changchun, L: Let me finish. There are definitely more opportunities in Beijing, but I still think that Chang- Any- way, that’s just my opinion. Do you think Beijing is a better place to live in than Hangzhou? chun is a much friendlier place. People are not so busy and their lives are not so hec W: No, not really, I think that Hangzhou is much more beautiful than Beijing. In my opin- ion, Beijing is developing too rapidly, so pollution has become a big problem, You know how everyone complains about all the cars on the road, too. ‘Traffic jams are so common that if you don’t meet one when you're travelling, you feel that something must be wrong! Another thing about Beijing is that there are many modern buildings, but the city has lost some beauty. Much of the history of Beijing is hidden now, after lots of the old houses were demolished, except for some of the tourist sites, L: That's a shame. What about Hangzhou? What kind of history does Hangzhou have? www.nhantriviet.com 25